Hyu-Ket are a race of insectoid goblins found on Yneslea. They were originally part of a goblin race that was from Tamriel, back after the goblin-ken were created, that sailed east of Tamriel and landed upon Yneslea. They gained their insectoid appearance from eating a special type of fungus on Yneslea.
Overview[]
The Hyu-Ket are one of the several indigenous races of Yneslea, along with the Echmer, Broh-Kah, and Terenjoe. The Hyu-Ket are a type of goblin but with more insectoid appearance. They are very low in population, with barely 2000 left alive as of the Fourth Aeon. This is a direct result of once being slaves and food for the Echmer, but the bat elves have sinced stopped both practices. As a race, they live in small tribes and are of a simple intelligence, although they are smarter than the goblins on Tamriel or Akavir.
Etymology of the Hyu-Ket[]
‘Hyu-Ket’ was the name the species introduced itself with on first contact with the Echmer during the latter’s early explorations on the surface. In their own words, it would translate directly to ’Brother Bug' or more accurately 'Brethren of the Bug'. The Echmer, however, transformed it into an Echi word that officially means ‘Chitin Goblins’ instead.
Physiology and Anatomy[]
Despite sharing common ancestry with the Tamrielic goblins, they have developed insect-like features that make them unique amongst their kin. The Hyu-Ket have a murky greenish-brownish-blue skin tone, and only grow to a size of four feet six inches tall. Their eyes are a dark red, resembling the eyes of flies. They are omnivorous, with their teeth being slightly sharper than that of other goblins. Their shoulders, elbows, and kneecaps are covered with chitin-like growths while the rest of their body – except for the heads and necks – have short, thin bristles. Sprouting from their heads are two small growths, likely their versions of antennae.
A Hyu-Ket of the R'Thog tribe
Some Hyu-Ket who escaped from slavery made a deal with Mepha'grash that allowed them to survive in water. These are the Hyu-Ket of the R'Thog Tribe.
History[]
The Hyu-Ket were once Aldmer (the ancestors of all the Merish races) until the point when Trinimac was betrayed by Boethiah during the Velothi Exodus. When Trinimac ripped the shame bloodily from his chest he became the Daedric Prince Malacath, and his godly ichor fell on his followers and changed them. The smaller of these became the goblins. The goblins that would later become the ancestors of the Hyu-Ket migrated to the eastern edge of Tamriel (which includes mainland Morrowind and Black Marsh) and later sail to the east, making landfall on Yneslea. Once there over the next few centuries they would later become insectoid in appearance as a result of eating certain flora on the island.
The Hyu-Ket would largely live in peace with the Dwemer until the rise of the Echmer, who would eventually go on to enslave the Hyu-Ket and eat them. This happened for centuries, dwindling the race's population which once was enough to rival the Orcs of Tamriel. The Hyu-Ket have failed to return to their former glory, even after being freed from their enslavement at the beginning of the Third Aeon.
Society[]
The Hyu-Ket are a simple and peaceful race of nomads. They never settle in one place too long. They all live in one large tent made of Yak skin, fur, and bones with smaller tents inside for individuals to live in and to provide services to the others of the tribe. There are 6 main jobs in the Hyu-Ket society, Priest, Shaman, Story Teller, Forager, Guard, and Herder. Instead of having a singular chief in charge of a tribe, it is the oldest member of each of the jobs, making for 6 equal leaders in the tribe. Each leader is in charge of all others of the job they were born into.
A Hyu-Ket Sentinel Chief
The Priests takes care of all religious affairs, organizes bonds, consultant with the Revered, also called the Grash, to take care of the Totems, and take care of the young. They are in direct service of Mala'grash. The Shamans are the healers of the village and enchant items, while also responsible for creating the many decorations that adorn their tents, bodies, and armors. They are in direct service to Meri'grash. The Story Tellers are the holders of all the secrets the Hyu-Ket have and are the ones to teach the young. They are in direct service to Mepha'grash.
The Hunters/Gatherers are the ones to hunt for food and to gather plants, them having to provide of the tribe. They are in direct service to Hiri'grash. The Guards are the one's responsible for the protection of the village from outsiders, it is their job to make sure none are killed or taken by either the Echmer as they once were or by one of the many vicious animals that could kill them on Yneslea. They are in direct service to Lorka'grash. The Herders are the ones that take care of the Yak's and any other animals they have for food or other assorted needs. They are in direct service to Yfre'grash.
The Yak is the most important animal in Hyu-Ket society. The Yak is milked for drink and killed for it's meat, while it's fur is used for clothing and it's bone are used for decorations. Hyu-Ket society appears to be patriarchal, as the leaders of each tribe are always male. The Hyu-Ket have a unique and fairly simple form of 'marriage' if it is to be called that. The Hyu-Ket will arrange who an infant Hyu-Ket will marry at birth and the two are raised side-by-side.
There are five main tribes, R'Kra (Snowy Tribe), R'Shav (Sandy Tribe), R'Tau (Hilly Tribe), R'Zeth (Coastal Tribe), R'Posh (Forest Tribe), and the R'Hag (Rocky Tribe). Each tribe has between 200 and 300 people, the tribes make up about 65% of the population. While these are the 6 major tribes, there are several other tribes, Each tribe has slightly different cultures but all carry the same structure and basic principles. For instance, each tribe does not have the standard 'family' term that most Echmer or Tamrielics would call family. The entire tribe a Hyu-Ket lives in is his family. This is seen in that all the members care for one another and it is not the two individuals who make the child raise it, but the priests.
The R'Kra live in the frozen Hae'Macrin Mountains of Yne. The R'Shav live in Gtutur's Arids of Slea.
During their holidays, instead of yak milk, they partake in a beverage that is made from many different plants on the island in a process of fermenting plants that inhibits the drink to become alcoholic. It is quite popular and all members of any age will have this drink. Drunken members is not that rare a sight, but due to a special protein in their blood and their natural diets, they never receive hangovers.
Religion[]
The Hyu-Ket are polytheistic and believe in thousands of gods, believing each star is in and of itself a deity to be worshiped, though they have 6 core deities that are the essence of their lives and affect everything they do. The Revered, or Grash, is what they call their gods, and it is custom for the word "grash' to follow the god's name as a sign of respect and honoring Nir, the mother of the Grash and the world the Hyu-Ket live on. The 6 are as follows:
Mala'grash - Chief Deity and God of the Hyu-Ket (Malacath)
Hiri'grash - God of Foraging and Meat (Hircine
Lorka'grash - God of the World (Lorkhan)
Mefa'grash - Goddess of Secrets (Mephala)
Meri'grash - Goddess of Sunlight and Starlight (Meridia
Yfre'grash - Goddess of Nature (Y'ffre/Jophre)
Calendar[]
The Hyu-Ket's, like most other sentient or semi-sentient races, have a calendar to keep track of the year. Unlike other calendars with 12 months, the Hyu-Ket have 6 months, each one with 60 days, and a 5-day long festival to honor the new year and the 6 core deities that is not a part of the 6 months. Each month has 10 weeks, each week consists of 6 days, and each day consists of 60 hours, each one about 2/5 of a normal hour, or 24 minutes. Each month is dedicated to one of the 6 core deities, and a Hyu-Ket's role in life will be decided by the month they are born in, nothing to do with their parents role.
The Hyu-Ket are rather festive and have 2 day long parts at the end of one month and the beginning of another, always on the last day of one month and the first day of the next month. The 6 months are called Mala'kata, Yfre'kata, Hiri'kata, Meri'kata, Mepha'kata, Lorka'kata and a year is called Grash'lagh.
Kata (pronounce kah-tah) is the Hyu-Ket term for time while Lagh is their word for Cycle, and the translations would be similar to 'The Time of Mala' and 'The Time of Lorka' for the months while the year would translate to 'The Cycle of the Revered.' The festivals between each month is called 'Kata-Fless' which translates to 'The Time of Change' while the festival at the beginning of each year that lasts for 15 days is called Chok'lagh, which means 'Cycle reborn.'